Alle JustMac-News vom 13.03.2012

13.03.2012 24:00 Uhr

Netflix is doing everything it can to court that "under 12" portion of the market by expanding its "Just for Kids" service to the PS3. Also available on Apple TV, Nintendo Wii and online, it offers pre-selected content that's suitable for any audience, including classics like Wallace and Gromit, Power Rangers and Thomas the Tank Engine. Just try and s

In its most detailed public statement regarding the ongoing Proview iPad trademark dispute, Apple on Tuesday said that the Chinese company is purposely misleading courts in order to recoup massive debt and stave off impatient creditors.

Apple's support for time and weather queries via Siri in Canada has been quietly improved, allowing users to get the correct response to a question like "what time is it" without having to mention location, which was previously required, reports iPhoneinCanada. The improved location ability also helps Siri answer questions about the weather in a more natural way, such as asking "what is the wind chill right now?"

The "internet of things" is quite the buzzed about phenomena these days and everyone wants in on the action. But, much of the hype so far has been associated with that DIY staple, the Arduino, and its admittedly under-powered 8-bit MCU. ARM is looking to put more power at developers fingertips, though, with the Cortex-M0+, an ultra low-power processor designed for embedded applications. The 32-bit chip is based on the existing M0, but with significant tweaks that greatly improve performance while keeping power draw to a minimum.

e-on has released Ozone 6, a new version of its atmosphere plugin for various 3D rendering suites. Users can simulate realistic-looking skies filled with volumetric clouds and appropriate lighting effects, such as rays and dispersion. The v6 update brings the ability to treat cloud layers as standard objects, which can be moved, rotated or resized using a 3D suite's normal controls.

Sega was in attendance at GDC 2012 last week, showing off its latest and greatest mobile offerings for iOS. There were only three apps that really stuck out to me from the event itself, and you can read all about them right here below. First up, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Episode 2 is going to be arriving on iOS this spring, as previously announced. If you liked the first iteration in this series, you'll probably like the second, and even if not, you know how Sonic the Hedgehog works by now. I will admit this version does look great, and the controls have been tightened up a bit. The inclusion of Tails is a nice selling point, too -- you can use Sonic's dual-tailed friend either as a flying helper, or for a gigantic sp

13.03.2012 23:00 Uhr

Remember when it was revealed that Fox and Universal's movie libraries wouldn't be able to stream via iCloud to your Apple TV? The reason was that both studios were locked into an exclusive window with HBO. Fortunately, the cable channel is already entering into negotiations with the studios to relax that rule for people who have already bought their movies -- having already done so for stablemate Warner Bros. A settlement is expected to be forthcoming in the next few weeks, at which point we can get back to the important things in life: the second series of

UK regulator Ofcom has approved (PDF) Everything Everywhere's planned formal rollout of LTE in the UK. The pairing of Orange and T-Mobile can reuse its 1,800MHz spectrum from 2G to run its LTE. Its coverage will come on top of whatever frequencies Everything Everywhere gets from upcoming LTE auctions.

The case is made up of two parts, not counting the complimentary screen protector kit. It’s not immediately clear which to install first, but after playing around with them or watching the instructional video on Incipio’s website, it becomes clear that putting on the brushed stainless steel backplate is meant to be the initial step. Lined with silicone rubber to prevent the metal from rubbing directly against the iPhone, it fits around…

It's been nearly four months since the Samsung Galaxy Nexus arrived, bearing the latest version of Google's mobile OS, known to most of us as Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich. In this span of time, only a handful of smartphones and tablets have been blessed with an upgrade to this iteration. Why? One word: differentiation. The majority of mobile manufacturers are determined to come up with their own brands and tweak the open-source OS to their whimsy as a means of standing out from the rest of the crowd. But doing so involves several months of designing, programming and testing -- for each individual device. Sadly, this means we're left waiting impatiently for most outfits to come out with their own cu

iPhone 4S owners already know that they have a pretty decent digital camera in their hands. However, if you long for the days of knurled metal knobs, optical viewfinders, and hand-focused lenses, you were pretty much out of luck -- until now. Four Corner Store has developed the Gizmon iCA Military Edition Case for the iPhone 4/4S (US$70.00) th

Apple last week released its new Configurator tool, a spiritual successor to the standard iPhone Configuration Utility. According to the tool’s release notes, it allows schools, businesses, and other institutions to configure up to 30 devices at a time, update those devices to the latest version of iOS, create and restore a backup of settings and app data from one device to other devices, create and install iOS configuration profiles, and enroll…

13.03.2012 22:00 Uhr

The popular Camera+ app (US$0.99) has just received an update to version 3.0 that adds new functionality as well as an API that has already been used by a number of top name developers to add the Camera+ functionality to a variety of apps. When I say that Camera+ is popular, I'm not exaggerating -- the app is the 10th best-selling iPhone app of all time, and the 7 millionth copy of Camera+ was recently sold. Not only does the app have a beautiful new icon (see above), but it has added features that will expand the

Work it. Anywhere. Any time. Those were the fighting words behind the BlackBerry Mini Keyboard promo shots we showed you a few days back. Now, backing up what we'd heard, RIM's officially (and very quietly) taken the wraps off its new PlayBook add-on, with a shipping date of March 23rd and a $120 price tag. The Canadian outfit is pushing this peripheral on the business-oriented consumer, but there's nothing keeping the average Joe from dr

Slacker Radio has released an update to its universal iOS app adding the ability to listen to live sports content, including streaming of every game of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. Slacker Radio provides live streaming and subscription-based on-demand access to a variety of audio content such as music, ESPN Radio, live sports, ABC News, comedy and more. The free app can be used without a subscription to listen to any one of 150 pre-defined…

When the predictions were running wild about the new iPad's features, most pundits believed that the new device would come with Siri. After all, the intelligent assistant has been on the iPhone 4S since October 2011, providing both useful information and help as well as hours of entertainment. Time Magazine's Matt Peckham believes that Apple left Siri off of the new iPad for one very good reason -- Siri isn't ready for it. Peckham brings up one point that I made before th

TestFlight, den Entwickler-Service für Beta-Builds, kauft Burstly, ein (Werbe-)Vermarkter. Over 70,000 developers have signed up to use TestFlight across some 130,000 apps. All told, TestFlight has about 350,000 users (70,000 developers and 280,000 testers). And again, every single one of those developers can deploy TestFlight Live immediately using the same code. via PandoDaily Ich mag

In San Francisco ‘spielt’ in dieser Woche die Game Developers Conference. Statistik-Anbieter Flurry plakatiert zeitlich passend sein Blog mit ein paar Zahlen über das mobile iOS- und Android-Ökosystem für Games. For the first two months of 2012, Flurry Analytics measured that more than half of all end user sessions were spent in games. […] By

DirektAd Mit der Überschrift “Why the new iPad’s Retina Display matters” untertreibt Ryan Block kräftig, gleicht dies in seinem Text aber wieder aus: Occasionally something does fundamentally change, though. It doesn’t happen very often. The first time I plugged an early, clunky 3G card into my laptop and was suddenly able to work from anywhere,

It's March. Don't bother looking at your calendar, we fact-checked it for you. It would make sense, then, that the seven-inch sequel to the Samsung Galaxy Tab, slated for a March UK release, should work its way through the proper FCC certifications before its inevitable launch. The docs don't say much about the GT-P3100's specs, aside from the fact that it sports AT&T 3G radios. We still haven't heard any official word on whether or not we can expect this to get any carrier interest, but given

RemotePC has both introduced several new plans for its remote access service as well as improved the overall performance of its matching software. Using RemotePC, subscribers can remotely access Windows and Mac computers over the Internet via any other computer, or by using the RemotePC app on the iPad or iPhone. An individual plan that provides access to one computer is now offered at no cost, while Basic (three computer) and Plus (ten computer) plans start at $5 and $10 per month respectively. Additionally, the company offers two Small Business Plans that provide acce

T-Mobile in a Q&A session with its CTO Neville Ray left the possibility open that it would still upgrade its HSPA+ network to 84Mbps. Although the carrier was now focused on LTE, it would "continue to evaluate" the option, Ray said. He wanted to see both flourish, as the network was still technically capable.

Samsung is currently the only display supplier for the third-generation iPad, claims Vinita Jakhanwal, a senior manager with research firm IHS iSuppli. Two other companies in the running, Sharp and LG Display, allegedly failed to meet Apple's quality requirements. "The display specifications on the new iPad are very demanding in terms of the very high resolution," says Jakhanwal. "Achieving this high resolution without compromising on the power consumption and brightness and maintaining Appleís quality standards are supposedly proving to be a challenge for LG Display

NPD Group has named Apple's iPhone 4S the most popular 4G smartphone, using a definition of fourth generation mobile networks that includes not just LTE and Sprint's WiMax but also the HSPA+ technology used by T-Mobile and AT&T.

Tapbots has released an update to Tweetbot adding Retina Display graphics in preparation for the impending release of the new third-generation iPad as well as live streaming and several other smaller improvements. Tweetbot 2.1 now allows users to optionally stream tweets live over Wi-Fi instead of relying on a manual or timed refresh; the new tweet notification also now only sounds for mentions, direct messages, and new tweets that appear following…

Being a blogger in the Apple ecosystem, I'm used to seeing numbers that are completely staggering -- the number of iPads sold during an introductory weekend, for example. But when an iPhone app is able to pull in a huge number of downloads in a very short timeframe, I really pay attention. That's the case with Draw Something ($0.99), a social game that has not only jumped to the top of the paid apps chart in 79 countries, but has also been downloaded a whopping 20 million times in the five weeks that it has

London's favorite only remaining evening free-sheet has snagged an interview with Apple design maven Sir Jonathan Ive. In the piece he talks about being thrilled and humbled by his recent Knighthood, the importance of his London upbringing and why Apple's competitors can't win. Pointing to a desire not to make "genuinely better" products, Cupertino's unnamed rivals instead are "interested in doing something different, or want to appear new," which he says is the wrong goal. The difference is that he and his team aren't tied

Apple is sticking to a recent reservation system for the Hong Kong launch of the new iPad. According to Apple's website, shoppers will be able to register starting the morning of the 15th local time, and pick up an iPad the next day at the IFC Mall Apple Store. Signs spotted by Engadget warn people not to line up, informing them that "Apple will not serve on a first come first serve basis for new ipad [sic]."

The FTC's widening antitrust investigation of Google is now collecting information from Apple, insiders tipped on mid-Tuesday. A pair of Bloomberg sources understood the US agency to be subpoenaing Apple for the deals making Google the default search engine on iOS devices. It's presumed, though not certain, that concerns may exist Google is unfairly using its search dominance to cut out Microsoft's Bing and others from getting the pre-selected position.

13.03.2012 21:00 Uhr

At Apple's education keynote in January, McGraw Hill Education was announced as one of the partners in the initiative to move textbooks to a digital format. The company's vice president of new ventures, Vineet Madan, is impressed with the power and display of the new iPad, but says he thinks that the newly discounted iPad 2 gives more schools a chance to deploy iPads to their students. In

Intel's Dave Salvator has been talking about Thunderbolt's future, promising that optical versions of the high-speed interconnect will arrive this year. The copper version currently available is cheaper and can carry 10 watts of power, but it can only be run a maximum distance of six meters. While the fiber version loses the ability to power devices, it's reportedly far faster and capable of running to the "tens of meters." Dave Mr. Salvator wouldn't commit to a release date,

Remember Consumer Reports' bought a Fisker Karma that broke down while on the test track? Well after it had made the 200-mile round-trip to the dealership, it turned out the inverter cable and battery were both faulty and replaced them, before fully recharging the vehicle. The car has now been returned to the test track where a full review can begin -- give it a week, and we'll start taking bets on if it actually gets that "recommended" rating.

The Google+ mobile website is easier on the eyes thanks to a redesign Google rolled out on Monday. The new UI is available on any mobile device, including the iPad which still does not have a native client. Comments on the redesign suggest the web UI improves performance on the tablet device, but it still lacks key features like hangout support and image uploading. If you're an iPad owner and browse Google+ on your tablet, check out the new mobile UI and let us know what you think.Google updates Google+ mobile UI originally appeared on TUAW - Th

IDC on Tuesday gave its own breakdown of world tablet share from this fall and painted an optimistic look at Android's position in the market. Going higher than others' estimates, the research team believed that Amazon shipped 4.7 million Kindle Fires, or enough to stake out 16.8 percent of tablets worldwide. Along with a slight gain from Samsung to 5.8 percent, the prediction would have knocked Apple down from 61.5 percent last summer to 54.7 percent in the last few months of 2011.

13.03.2012 20:00 Uhr

Previous endeavors in the stratospheric and ultra-high end phone market have resulted in fanciful hardware made out of exotic materials, often marred by perplexingly outdated innards. If you believe TAG Heuer's latest marketing hyperbole, that's set to change with its upcomi

Well, it's not quite the tablet-friendly app we've been waiting for, but, it'll do. Google+ has gotten something of a mobile facelift, bringing the portable site's design more in line with that of the Android and iOS mobile apps. The revamp isn't just visual, it also hides some nice new features, like the ability to reshare posts with just the click of a virtual button. You can check it out now by visiting plus.google.com on your mobile device or by opening m.google.com/apps/plus in your desktop browser.

Nokia has enhanced the functionality of its mobile Nokia Maps web interface for iOS and Android platforms with new voice-guided navigation instructions. There is no need to download an app for either, as it's accessed from the mobile browser. To get the voice directions, users will need to accept an audio file that is about 2MB in size.

According to new data from IDC, the iPad saw its share of the tablet market slip in the fourth calendar quarter of 2011, despite selling over 15 million units. IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Media Tablet and eReader Tracker claims that Apple’s iPad, which saw shipments of 15.4 million units during the period, faced increased competition in the space, most specifically from Amazon, which shipped 4.7 million Kindle Fires. Based on total worldwide…

The rubber case is purposefully thick and provides rather significant coverage of the iPhone’s body; it’s easy to feel the quality of the substantial material. The back and edges are completely covered save for the necessary openings for ports and inputs, and the case comes around to the front, forming a lip to protect some of the bezel and ensure that the screen is setback for safety in the event of a drop. Accessory compatibility is…

In a press event panel that included almost every big studio executive -- sans Disney -- Walmart announced an exclusive in-store disc to digital conversion service. Starting April 16th, in more than 3,500 stores, you'll be able to bring your DVD or Blu-ray discs in and have 'em added to your Vudu movie collection. The privilege of watching movies, you already bought, online via Vudu will cost you $2, but if you own the DVD, it'll cost you $5 to upgrade your digital copy to HD. In addition, you can now buy UltraViolet movies via Vudu and watch them via other UV supported sources -- we assume this is a two-way street, but it isn't spell

Are you getting an earful from parents or grandparents about which iPad they should buy? Read on for our guide to buying the right iPad for Mom, Dad, Grandma or Grandpa. Two bits of anecdotal evidence that there's a digital revolution in progress: In the past year, both my mother and my mother-in-law have purchased iPads. My mother uses a Windows PC at work, and has had a Windows-based laptop for the past few years. It was starting to get old and slow, however, and the battery doesn't hold a charge anymore. She was thinking about getting a new laptop or an e-reader, and asked me for guidance. My mother-in-law has had a Windows PC in her house, but never really felt comfortable using it. She had a Nook which sh

If you've checked into Rdio's website this afternoon (and are a web or unlimited subscriber) you've probably noticed a message prompting you to try out the "new Rdio." Clicking on it will take you to the redesigned website that the music streaming service has rolled out today -- something the company claims is "faster, simpler, and more social." That includes a completely overhauled layout that puts it slightly more in line with the likes of Spotify and iTunes, and social networking features that are brought to the fore, including a new "People Sidebar" where you can see who's online and what they're listening too (along with suggestions of people to follow). You

New NPD data has credited the iPhone 4S as the primary factor behind the adoption of 4G or pseudo-4Gon smartphones. Where just six percent of devices had support for HSPA+, LTE, or WiMAX at the end of 2010, about 35 percent had it during the newest iPhone's fall launch. Even though it only had two months to sell, Apple's hardware became the most popular HSPA+ phone in the US for all of 2011.

Foxconn is hiring for several safety and "lifestyle" positions involving one of two Chinese units that supplies Apple, says Bloomberg. In particular the company's Integrated Digital Products Business Group is advertising in Shenzhen for a safety and security officer, a lifestyle services manager, and two fire chiefs. The chairman of Foxconn's retail division, Louis Woo, has refused to provide any more details beyond the positions' existence.

Rdio wrapped the technology side of South by Southwest with a redesign of its desktop and web apps. The new interface is consciously much more unified and visual, with album art at the front and elements like playlists at the side. A new drag-and-drop interface, including on the web, lets users add whole albums to playlists as well as quickly share tracks to friends through the People Sidebar.

13.03.2012 19:00 Uhr

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

Almost a year has passed since we last saw Marvell's Kinoma platform in person, but the time has finally arrived for its release. We got the chance to sit down with Peter Hoddie, VP of the Kinoma Platform, to learn a little bit more about his software and what Kinoma can bring to your smartphone experience. First, a quick refresher. Kinoma Play is technically an app, but in reality it serves as an entirely new UI for your Android device running versions 2.1 and up. The platform currently has 50 of its own apps -- written in Kinoma Play Script, a Javascript language -- that are obtained through the Kinoma store, and these apps

Earlier today, Vietnamese blog Tinhte.vn released unboxing pictures and a video that supposedly showcases the new iPad. They also did some benchmark tests that suggest the iPad will ship with 1 GB of RAM. Recent reports from The Verge and iOS hacker Chronic claim the iPad had 1 GB of RAM, but those reports were based on inside sources and a leaked debug output file. The results of the Tinhte's Geekbench test also show that the new iPad will have an A5X proces

Just six days have elapsed since the unveiling of Apple's third-generation iPad, and the rumor mill is already wildly speculating about what's in store for the next one. Korea Times has quoted an unnamed (yeah) Samsung official who has said that we can expect a 7.85-inch version of the tablet to arrive by the end of the year. As usual, it's fair to point out that the company is famous for producing a wide variety o

Dear Aunt TUAW, While it is possible to track down Apple user manual .pdf files on their support site and then import them to iBooks, why doesn't Apple simply make them available for free in a special section of the iBooks app? Your loving nephew, Jeremy Dear Jeremy, They do. Just search for Apple in the iBookstore. For example: iPhone User Guide iPod touch User Guide

You may think your job is cool, but do you work at Hewlett Packard's Elite PC reliability testing lab? It's the sort of place you'll find robots opening and closing DVD trays thousands of times and levers constantly opening laptops to see if its hinges can withstand your daily commute. Oh yeah, and firing 10,000 volts of static electricity at your notebook, as you do.

Apple's next-generation low- and mid-range MacBook Pro models will not feature dedicated graphics cards, and will instead rely on Intel's integrated Ivy Bridge graphics due to production issues with Nvidia, according to a new report.

Today's deals from DealNN include price breaks on wireless speakers, power supplies, and more. Buy.com has recently lowered the cost of the ION Waverocker Wireless speaker, complete with waterproof design, built-in FM radio, and support for most iPhone and iPod models. Currently featured at DealNN, the ION speaker has now dropped 38% in price and can be purchased for only $79.99.

Tap Tap Tap on Tuesday brought out a major update to Camera+ (99 cents, App Store) that changes not just its own photography but its implications for mobile camera apps as a whole. The iOS app now has an API kit that lets third-party apps uses the more advanced Camera+ controls and make their own web services. Among the examples, Foodspotting, Tweetbot, Twitterrific, and WordPress can already take advantage of the photography app.

13.03.2012 18:00 Uhr

The UAE Cabinet is now using iPads to "achieve speed and flexibility in decision making" says HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is the Ruler of Dubai and UAE Prime Minister and Vice President. The above picture, tweeted by Sheikh Mohammed, shows cabinet members already putting their iPads to good use. These tablets are part of a larger "Minister e-briefcase" initiative that'll automate most of the cabinets' administrative operations. [Via The Loop]UAE Cabinet

The list of countries available under "Parental Preferences" in iTunes has been greatly expanded in version 10.6, suggesting music and movies on the iTunes Store may soon be coming to a number of countries in Asia.

As fans of the TV hospital drama House can tell you, many hospital patients aren't exactly fond of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners. They're loud, confining, and generally quite uncomfortable. Now PDC Facilities, a company specializing in products for the medical diagnostics imaging market, has come up with a new product that uses an iPad to control and customize the patient experience. The product, known as the

It's a patent, so we can't promise it'll appear in the next version of Android, but since Google's filed it, you never know. Mountain View's best and brightest (Ronald Ho and Jennifer W. Lin) have patented adverts that replace the cellphone ringtone. Once it's identified the caller and the location, rather than playing your specially selected "Mom" song, it'll play a relevant advert -- say, for a local florist or the nearest drug store. Advertisers are billed depen

Despite ongoing lawsuits, Apple may only be increasing its orders from Samsung if rumors coming from an Apple supplier in South Korea are accurate. Samsung's part orders from Apple were said by The Korea Times to be jumping from $7.8 billion in 2011 to at least $9.7 billion, possibly going up to $11 billion depending on demand. Processor assembly for new iPads, along with usually high demand for flash memory across most of Apple's lineup, would be key motivators.

Apple's going to need to keep those supplier factories in China running 24/7 just to meet the demand from corporate buyers. A new ChangeWave Research survey of 1,604 corporate buyers shows that not only are about one in five companies planning on purchasing tablets for employees, but of those companies a whopping 84 percent say that they plan to purchase iPads. That last number is up seven percent from the previous survey, which was done in November of 2011. With the Apple number going up, logi

When it comes to forecasting the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the new iPad -- specifically, its name. Macs and iPods have traditionally gone nameless. There's no Mac mini 3 or iMac 2S. You might have purchased a late 2010 MacBook Air or a 4th generation iPod touch, but other than generation and manufacturing date, there haven't been product differentiations in the names. You go to an Apple store, and you say, "I'd like to buy an iMac." Now, Apple seems to have stepped away from the iPad naming game. There was the iPad, the iPad 2, and now the new iPad (3rd generation, early 2012). If this trend continues, it looks like there will

Over the weekend, Sprint announced it's handing out one of its 3G / 4G dongles free of charge to its customers -- with a catch, though. The gratis U602 Plug-in-connect can be yours now if you're rockin' an American Express Prepaid Reward Card, getting a new line or willing to sign a fresh two-year deal. And, if those options aren't tempting enough, you'll unfortunately have to part ways with a mere 50 bucks in order to take one home. However, don't expect this Now Network USB connector to let you surf on those promised LTE waves

Apple could start commercial production of a TV set in May or June, likely building somewhere between 2 to 5 million units, says Jeffries & Co. analyst Peter Misek. The claim is based on a recent trip to Asia. "We believe specialty components have begun to ship to Appleís Asia panel suppliers with polarized films, filters, and [Sharp] IGZO components starting to move in small quantities," he writes. As before, a fourth-quarter launch is anticipated.

Google's difficulty competing with Apple in media may be a virtue of problems with its own internal culture based on investigations brought to light on Tuesday. CNET understood that executives behind Google's VP of global content, Robert Kyncl, complained that the content strategy was "fragmented" and working in separate directions. Content partners have complained both that Google's actual content lagged Apple's and that the Android and YouTube teams didn't appear to be coordinating with each other.

We've now seen what the new iPad's packaging will entail come Friday, but it doesn't change the fact that elbowing your way to the front of those Apple Store queues isn't for everyone. Fortunately, both Verizon and AT&T are more than willing to sell you their 4G-connected iterations -- alongside a new data plan, we're sure. For the 16GB entry-level model, you're looking at around $630 on Verizon and $530 for AT&T. Before making your choice of carrier, however, we reckon you'll want to read up on those pesky data rates at the pair of source links below.

AT&T has announced that it will offer Wi-Fi + 4G models of the third-generation iPad starting on launch day. According to the announcement, all models of Wi-Fi + 4G will be available, across all AT&T sales channels. “The new iPad is coming to the nation’s largest 4G network and we could not be more excited,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility. “Our customers will get a widespread, ultra-fast and consistent…

Tap tap tap has released a major update to Camera+ adding a host of new features including improvements to sharing and photo import, workflows and more. Camera+ 3 now allows users to share a photo to multiple online services or even multiple accounts on an online service at the same time; performance has also been improved when sharing. The latest version also now provides the ability to select multiple photos during import and adds features such…

AppleInsider is reporting that portions of Apple.com have been upgraded to take advantage of the new iPad's Retina display and HiDPI screens. So far, the changes have been made to the home page and iPad portions of the site. AppleInsider has several comparison shots made in normal version, the bottom screenshot above, and with

As expected, AT&T and Verizon both announced today that they will sell the new WiFi+4G iPad starting Friday, March 16. AT&T will sell the iPad through all AT&T sales channels, while Verizon will offer the new iPad at all Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online. The iPad WiFi+4G will cost US$629 for the 16 GB version, $729 for 32 GB and $829 for 64 GB. You can find information about data plans and support for personal hotspot on either Verizon's or AT&T's website. At the present time, Verizon has announced support

The giveaways don't stop coming, and why should they? Everyone loves the chance to win free stuff. This week we have three pairs of custom-designed SOL Republic Tracks HD headphones up for grabs, thanks to our friends over at ColorWare! These guys are all about coming up with cool designs, as you can probably tell just by scoping out the units we're giving away (seen above), and they can add their touch to plenty more than just headphones: laptops, phones and gaming consoles are a few examples. So check out the rules below, and leave a comment to get entered!

Padded Spaces has released the newest iteration of its flagship product, and it's called Prop 'n Go Slim for iPad ($35). Although it shares the same concept and general structure as the earlier Prop 'n Go lap accessory, this version is much thinner, as the name suggests. The smaller profile has been achieved by removing the pocket from the pillow, and using memory foam material for the flat base. The top maintains the same setup, with a hard plastic…

New images of Apple retail promotion materials have confirmed that the company will be officially launching the third-generation iPad on Friday, March 16 at 8:00 a.m. local time. 9to5Mac, which posted the image, claims it came from a “friend in retail” and will be used out front of an Apple retail store prior to the launch. As noted in the report, a prior rumor claiming that Apple’s new store in Houston would open at 8:00 a.m. on…

A quick confirmation has supported beliefs the new iPad is getting an 8AM launch on Friday. Following a Houston store opening's similar schedule, 9to5 was sent artwork for a storefront poster showing availability the same hour. If in line with its past habits, Apple is likely to make 8AM a common opening hour worldwide when malls and local laws allow.

Phil Harrison, former head of Sony Worldwide Studios and the man that introduced the world to Playstation Home and gave one of the earliest public demos of the PS3, is heading to Microsoft. Harrison, also a former member of the board at Atari, will be stepping into the shoes recently abandoned by gaming legend Peter Molyneux. While his role at Lionhead was filled by the studio's co-founder Mark Webley, Molyneux's role as head Microsoft's European gaming efforts was left vacant while the company searched for the right

Who doesn't love filling an idle hour with a good ol' bit of TED? Now, the people behind those share-worthy ideas are bringing us TED-Ed: a new lesson-based YouTube channel. Aimed primarily at high-schoolers, the initiative invites teachers to submit their "best lesson" in a youthful mind-friendly ten minutes or less. If chosen, TED will ship out a "portable recording booth" -- which look suspiciously like an iPad in a sound-absorbing flightcase. Once the knowledge has been preserved, it's sent over to a team of animators to bring it to life. If you know a great teacher, or animator, you can also no

A follow-up study through ChangeWave has shown that corporate uptake of iPads was only climbing higher in February despite more concerted attempts from Android makers. Of those hoping to buy tablets in the spring, he number of companies looking to buy the iPad shot from 77 percent in November to a new high of 84 percent just last month. Without exception, every Android tablet designer's share of tablet interest declined, with none crossing into double digits.

The official Apple website is gradually being updated to support the Retina Display on the third-generation iPad, notes AppleInsider. Images on the site's home and iPad pages are now accessible in higher resolutions, though the only way seeing them ahead of the new tablet's launch is a desktop browser tweak. In Safari, for instance, they can be turned on by enabling the Develop menu in the menu bar, choosing "Inspect Element" at Apple.com or Apple.com/ipad, and then inserting two lines of code.

Have an iTunes library full of uncompressed audio? Then you’re probably familiar with iTunes’ built-in option to automatically convert higher bit rate songs to a lower bit rate—and thus smaller file size—when filling up an iDevice. Previously, this option was not so audiophile friendly, due to its 128 kbps restriction, but with iTunes 10.6, you have some freedom to lower the file size of AIFF and Apple Lossless files while…

Apple added support for Japanese in iOS 5.1, but the roll out isn't going as smoothly as expected. According to a Kotaku report, Apple's voice assistant can apparently only handle simple and universal Japanese phrases. When it comes to complex phrases, Siri stumbles while its competitor Shabette Concier performs flawlessly. Shabette, a recently-launched voice service from wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo, is targeted specifically for Japanese customers and support

A purported third-generation iPad unit has been unboxed and subsequently benchmarked by Thailand-based Tinhte.vn. As shown in the unboxing photos (Translated Link), the third-gen iPad box will feature a metallic iCloud stamp on the bottom, with the normal capacity and wireless network markings—in this case, 16GB and 4G—and multiple markings that show it to be model number A1430. Otherwise, the device’s packaging appears to be quite…

You may not recall when 60 Minutes' David Martin took a shot at the Pain Gun, but it didn't end well for the fleshy anchorman. Now Wired's Spencer Ackerman's having a go, with similarly one-sided results. The Pentagon's sanguinely-named Active Denial System turns electricity into millimeter-wave radio frequency, silently pumping out 95GHz of searing hot agony from distances of 2,500 feet. The project's still got a few issues, namely that it t

Acer showed signs of returning to health on Tuesday through both monthly results and remarks from company president Jim Wong. Its February revenue was up 38 percent from the month before, to the equivalent of nearly $1.3 billion. Wong framed it to Digitimes and others as part of a larger recovery, where Acer would return to third place in notebooks sometime in 2012.

During its negotiations late last year, Motorola Mobility attempted to win a wide-reaching patent license from Apple in return for access to Motorola’s SEPs (standards-essential patents). Citing the European Commission’s clearance decision on Google’s proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility, Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents reports that the negotiations in question took place in November 2011, and resulted in Apple declining to…

Walmart is expected to announce today that it has entered a partnership with Universal, Paramount, Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures and Fox to allow consumers to access DVDs they own in UltraViolet's cloud. This will cost between US$2-$4 per DVD, depending on quality. The DVDs will be stamped to prevent multiple people from accessing the files. The Wall Street Journal first reported on this Feb. 28. This comes days after App

When it comes to location-based social networking apps, Roamz isn't exactly a name that may pop into your brain. But a new version of Roamz (free) could provide a boost to the fortunes of the iPhone app. Roamz works by giving users information about what's going on in their area in real time. The app merges local content and social media to provide both info and reviews about restaurants, festivals, and other events. When searching the local area for events, Roamz pulls in results from Facebook, Foursquare, Instagram, and Twitter. Like Foursquare, Roamz allows users to share moments and check in on other social networks. Gallery:

Everything Samsung seems to be just a touch better in Seoul, and the South Korean giant's Galaxy Player 70 is no exception. For starters, it ships with a dual-core 1GHz processor -- a first for the WiFi-only Galaxy Player series. The 5-inch capacitive-touch LCD offers 800 x 480-pixel resolution, and can display whatever the Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS throws its way, but it also packs a unique Korea-only punch: a DMB TV tuner, for pulling in terrestrial programming only available in Samsung's home country. There's also a requisite 8-inch retractable antenna, in additi

Cerulean Studios' free multi-protocol IM client fixes many bugs and adds an offline mode, a built-in image preview window, an option to disable auto-login, an updated backend using a new API for Twitter, reply to all for Twitter, and more.

WildPalm's Spice for Xcode is a component manager for source code, designed for extracting, organizing, and reusing code for multiple projects, with dependency management, viewing and bookmarking of Xcode projects, and other features.

Amazon has good discounts across the Mac line-up, from MacBook Airs to MacBook Pros, Mac Minis through iMacs to Mac Pros. *And*, while you're saving yourself money, you're simultaneously providing critical support to the MacInTouch website, at no cost to you, just by clicking through any of our links to make purchases!

Apple's official website has been quietly updated to take advantage of the Retina display on the new iPad. Users can preview the higher-resolution site now with a simple tweak in Apple's Safari desktop Web browser.

Today at Apple's online store save on refurbished MacBook Pros, iPads and more. The 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.4GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive is now $1019 after a $180 price cut. Save $540 on the refurb. 15.4-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.2GHz Intel quad-core i7 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive, now $1659. Or for $1719, after a $580 price drop, is the 17-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.53GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive.

The "new Xeons are finally here" and are being discussed today in the MacNN forums in this thread started by Professional Poster Don Pickett. Today one Fresh-Faced recruit was looking for some answers when certain tracks failed to play properly on their iPod classic.

Windows 8's impending metro/desktop split means some programs may be pulling double duty in your task manager -- one for its classic environment, and one for its fancy facade. Google, not to be outdone by Mozilla, recently told Mashable that it's building a version of Chrome optimized for Windows 8's more stylized setting. "Our goal is to be able to offer our users a speedy, simple, secure Chrome experience across all platforms, which includes both

Quickoffice has released its new iOS ProSelect HD application suite through the App Store's volume-purchasing program. ProSelect HD combines the existing Quickoffice document suite with corporate security features, and the new package is targeted specifically at enterprise users. Features include a configurable file manager system, integrated cloud service collaboration, device-based encryption and SaveBack. The SaveBack fea

This is the Miselu Neiro, a "portable, net-enabled social music device" which was announced this weekend at SXSW. We were able see and handle the first-ever prototype fresh off the lab bench at the SoundCloud Open House in Austin. The app-based, Android-powered synth features a two octave velocity and pressure-sensitive keyboard, a capacitive multitouch widescreen, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and even a webcam. Battery life is expected to be in the five to six hour range. The laptop-sized instrument fea

Well-known for its pre-release Apple access, Vietnam's Tinhte in a pair of posts has gotten early access to the third-generation iPad and answered some of its core questions. Apart from proving that the box will be very familiar, the site confirmed that the new iPad has an LTE toggle to save power. Most Android devices often won't allow this without a third-party app or hack.

I last talked with the folks of Tatem Games at last year's GDC. The Ukraine-based developer has had a few hits on the App Store already, and this year Tatem Games tells me it's headed onto other platforms. For example, the popular Carnivores game is heading to Android and aiming for release on a major traditional console very soon. On iOS, Tatem has also been caught up in the freemium trend and is working on an engine to develop its own original freemium titles. The first one of these is called Dream Gym, and I got to see a few nonplayable demos of it.

DBSD North America and TerreStar Networks probably aren't the first two companies you think of when talking about cutting edge broadband, but they're integral to Dish Network's LTE plans. Both companies were in dire straights, with TerreStar declaring bankruptcy in 2010 and DBSD filing for Chapter 11 in 2009. But, Dish doesn't want them for their customer base or portfolio of services -- it wants their

CodeRunner is quite an app, and I almost don't want to tell you what it is before you try it. In fact, let's not Just go download it from the App Store and experience it for yourself first. It's US$2.99, but if you've been following location-based iPhone games, you'll find the price worth the experience. Back? Great. Now we can actually talk about how this thing works. CodeRunner is the work of three guys I met at GDC. One of them, Michael Ferraro, has a long history in traditional console game development. Ryan Chapman has a background in server engineering; Jeff Macpherson is perhaps better known as Dr. Tiki from the popular Tiki Bar TV web v

Not only did some lucky gents in Vietnam get their hands on the new iPad while most people are still refreshing their delivery status page, they were also kind enough to run some benchmark tests. The results confirm that the RAM has been upped to 1GB, with the Geekbench score settling at 756. The processor remains at 1GHz, again, which is what we expected, but puts the kibosh on any speculation that there might have been a slight bump in clock speeds. If you want to see the full breakdown, hit the source for the goods.

Amazon's individually-wrapped slices of literary goodness have managed to pull in a few fans since launching in January last year. The company has offered a rare glimpse at its retail figures, trumpeting two million individual sales for its Kindle Singles selection. While authors grab 70 percent of revenue from their middleweight literary missives, Amazon helps itself to the remaining 30 percent -- paidContent pegs Amazon's revenue from the Singles catalogue at around $1.12 million. Those wanting a gentle literary hit can now pick from around 165 existing titles, with some penned by big name writers like Stephen King an

Not quite sure it got into the wild ahead of schedule, but Vietnamese sites Tinhte and MuabaniPhone have posted a lovely little video review and unboxing images of the LTE-equipped new iPad model [via our siblings at Engadget]. Spoiler alert: It looks an awful lot like an iPad. While some domestic customers are already getting shipping notifications, chances are (as in past launches) almost all of those new iPads will be held by the logistics vendors until the scheduled delivery day on 3/16. A few lucky folks may get theirs on Wednesda

So, it turns out the sola isn't a US-specific version of the Xperia S after all, but a new handset in its own right. In some ways, it's a budget version of the S, with a similar form factor minus the glittery translucent strip along the bottom and various other reductions, including a 3.7-inch screen of unspecified resolution and a 1GHz dual-core processor. On the other hand, it's a fully hazed member of the Xperia gang, with NFC SmartTags, an xLOUD "surround sound" speaker, Mobile BRAVIA image processing and, of course, full access to the Sony En

The cabling for Apple and Intel's next-generation peripheral interconnect will be getting an upgrade this year, says IDG. Thunderbolt optical cables will be shipping in 2012, according to Intel; current cabling for TB is all copper-based. The PCI-based Thunderbolt technology has always included optical cabling in its roadmap, but the costs of fiber versus copper and the development lead time meant

Did Apple actually release a new iPad with LTE and a Retina Display last week? Or did it waft hallucinogens at us while we liveblogged, making us see only what we wanted to see? These doubts should be quashed when the third-gen tablet starts reaching consumers who are too populous to drug effectively. Fortunately, that process has already started, with some folks over in Vietnam claiming they've got hold of the retail version of the new iPad and posting evidence to prove it. Take a look at the video after the break and the images at the source link to catch a glimpse of what your

Following the February launch of the Pentax K-01 and the Optio WG-2, Pentax has announced that both cameras are now available for purchase. The Marc Newson-designed K-01 is the Pentax response to Sonyís popular NEX-series of Alpha mirrorless cameras and boasts similar specs. Like the NEX cameras, the K-01 uses a DSLR APS-C CMOS sensor, in this instance with 16-megapixels.

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For those confused by Sony's mixed naming conventions, this is the Japan-friendly version of AT&T's incoming Xperia Ion. There's been some additions to the US-bound device we handled back in January, including a built-in TV tuner and mobile wallet functionality. Last time we heard, the LTE-capable Ion was set for a summer world tour, but given this early spring unveiling on the other side of the world, it could pass AT&T's tests this side of 2012 -- hopeful

Path is still trying to pave over those privacy cracks, promising that its next update will "hash" the contact data it previously used to suck up without prior warning. Last month, the app was caught with its digital fingers inside users' address books and while the subsequent (and understandly swift) update allowed users to opt out, the Path devs are still looking to gain privacy certification with TRUSTe. They told The Verge that the next version will still allow contact matching without plucking the precise details at the same time, using a hashing technique that won't identify the data delivered to the social network app. The la

Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, sold off the majority of his shares in the company on Monday and cleared $11.1 million after required withholding for tax purposes, according to a form filed with the SEC. Cook exercised options on 37,500 shares and sold 20,178 shares at an average price of just under $550, netting the $11.1 million payday (the balance of the stock was sold at $545.17 for withholding) across two days, Saturday and Monday.

Apple chief Tim Cook made $11.1 million after taxes by selling 37,500 restricted stock units that were awarded to him two years ago for his performance as interim CEO while late co-founder Steve Jobs was on medical leave.

Pentax has been teasing us with its trio of cameras for what seems like an eternity. It's been long enough that we've actually had playtime with the new mirrorless flagship, the K-01. That chunky retro body will turn some heads in the street, so any fashionistas can now pick it up. It'll be winging its way to stores at the same time as its extreme-living

A video posted on YouTube shows a comparison of Apple's Siri, which only just recently gained Japanese support, against a built-in voice recognition feature developed by DoCoMo, one of Japan's largest carriers. The match-up showed that Siri was able to understand basic and universal Japanese, but had trouble with more complex requests compared to Syabette Concier, an Android app developed for by the carrier, AppleInsider reports.

See that crazy faceplate with matching wallpaper that sells for two-a-penny on Amazon? Well, Samsung wants to patent something even worse. It's so bad we had to hide it away after the break. (Honestly, don't look at it -- unlike the USPTO, you won't get paid for your trouble.) At first we believed the hype that it was some kind of wild Super-OLED-lenticular-transparent-flexible-display concept for smartphones, but now we're not so sure. The patent application simply refers to a printed "film layer" stuck onto a smartphone's case, which aligns with images on the display and gives the

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Acer has imported four of its European LED-backlit LCD monitors to the US, a total of five models that range from the 20-inch S200HL to the 27-inch S271HL, which sports full 1080p HD resolution (1920x1080). The monitors, all using TN panels, range from $139 to $329 and will be available in April. All five feature eColor management buttons, have tilt bases and sport a 1,000,000:1 contrast ration and a 5ms response time, all while using 68 percent less power than florescent-backlit LCD displays.

Sony unveiled a new entry level Alpha early Tuesday in the just leaked A57. It shoots at a typical 16 megapixels, but with an uncharacteristically fast mode, Continuous Advance Priority AE. By locking the aperture at f3.5 or smaller, it can capture 12 frames per second at 8.4 megapixels, even with autofocus and autoexposure.

DSLRs tend to have longer refresh cycles than oh, we don't know, phones with RAZR in the name, but every shooter must eventually go to heaven nonetheless. About a year and a half after introducing the Alpha A55 translucent mirror camera, Sony's putting that model out to pasture to make way for

If that display up there looks familiar, it's because it's already won itself a fancy schmancy iF product design award. But as Prospero would say, 'tis new to thee -- at least if you live on this side of the Atlantic. Acer just announced it's bringing that very S23HL monitor to the US, along with four other models whose screens range in size from 20 to 27 inches. The S235HL is clearly the star of the show here, with a half-inch-thick frame and asymmetrical stand. (It has 1080p resolution and VGA / HDMI ports too, if you're interested in more than just the design.) Intrigued? You can expect to fork over $219 for it when it lands stateside next month. Moving on, Acer also has two oth

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McGraw Hill Education's new ventures VP Vineet Madan predicted in an interview Monday that the new iPad would have a major effect on digital textbooks. He explained to TPM that the 2048x1536 display and added speed would be a large help for digital textbooks. LTE had its own benefit for those that could justify it, since it would be fast enough to stream intensive content instead of having to store everything locally.

In an interview with the London Evening Standard, Apple's Senior VP of Industrial Design Sir Jonathan Ive talked about the design process at Apple and also addressed the question of why most other companies don't seem able to create the kind of products people get so passionate about and enjoy on the level they do Apple products. For Ive, making a product genuinely better was a key factor, along with the collaborative process of chasing ideas.

Analysts at the research firm Gartner have come out and crowned Samsung as the most popular smartphone producer in China. The Korean manufacturer beat out others such as Nokia, Huawei, ZTE and Apple to score the title, and now boasts a rather impressive 24.3 percent market share in the country. While the iPhone 4S is portrayed as the most desired handset in China, Gartner suggests its limited availability with carriers played a large role in Samsung's achievement. The report provides

Mozilla has reportedly posted a near-final Firefox 11 build, which was initially misinterpreted as the final edition. The major update brings several new features, including add-on synchronization across multiple platforms, faster page loads using the SPDY protocol, and the ability to import bookmarks, history and cookies from Chrome.

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China recently greeted its first Windows Phone (on pre-order, anyway), but if Stephen Elop has his way, Nokia will be hot on HTC's heels. The company's CEO has revealed that Nokia will unleash its Lumia handsets upon the People's Republic on March 28th. While Elop offered no clues to suggest which models will be available, recent regulatory approvals hint that the Lumia 800 and 710 are both top candidates -- though personally, we'd be shocked if the Lumia 610 didn'

IDT Wireless Power has introduced new wireless charging components that are claimed to slash the time that it takes to charge mobile devices such as cellphones and tablets. The company's latest system is said to bring a 50-percent cost savings, 67-percent reduction in component count, and 73-percent total system efficiency compared to the previous generation.

PayPal's mobile payment technology may lead to a direct competitor to Square. leaks emerging from GigaOM would have a plug-in reader to let a smartphone, and presumably a tablet, take credit cards through a native app. Other than a possible triangle shape, not much was known about what it would entail besides a launch on Thursday.

Much like carbon nanotubes and quantum computing, terahertz technologies have been promising miracles for nearly as long as humans have been able to distinguish water from fire. We exaggerate, but barely. A crafty team assembled at the University of Pittsburgh seems to have no qualms with moving forward, however, recently announcing a new physical basis for terahertz bandwidth. Those involved managed to have suc

13.03.2012 3:00 Uhr

HighPoint Technologies has launched two new Mac and PC compatible external storage solutions using USB 3.0 for a theoretical speed of up to 5Gb per second per port, or 10Gb per second total possible throughput in the dual-bay, "toaster" design RocketStor Smart Backup and RocketStore Smart RAID. The units can accommodate two SATA standard-size HDD and SSDs up to 6Gb per second in speed and can work with add-on USB 3 PCI-E cards.

After that March 10th mishap, Samsung reaffirmed to us that it'd deliver Android 4.0 for its GT-I9100 Galaxy S II when it was darn good and ready -- well folks, the company is appears ready. It's just announced both via Facebook and Twitter that the Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade that so many have lusted after is now available and will begin its rollout to all users in Europe and Korea today -- subject to carrier requirements, of course. Better yet, Samsung has affirmed that its Android 4.0 update for the Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II LTE, Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 will follow shortly. So, if you're one of the lucky ones to receive the update, let us know how it fares for you in the comments below. Otherwise, feel free to ke

Remember the Nook Simple Touch WiFi issues we told you about, way back when? Barnes & Noble promised that it was working "diligently" to address the connectivity problems, and now it seem that help has arrived. A rep for the company confirmed that a fix is among the "minor system enhancements" promised in the 1.1.2 upgrade for the e-reader. WiFi connected devices will start receiving the upgrade this week. If you're amongst those who can't connect -- or if you're just a bit antsy -- click the source link for a manual download. Let us know if the upgrade did the trick

Intel spokesman Dave Salvator promised Monday that optical Thunderbolt cables would be coming in 2012. He didn't give a timetable to IDG or a price. Any cables would, however, work with Macs and any existing or imminent Thunderbolt implementations.

Since the Boxee Box and original Google TV v1 hardware share Intel Atom processors at their heart users have wondered about the opportunity for a port, and as seen above, that may have been achieved. GTVHacker tweeted out the picture tonight, promising "big things" in store for owners of rooted Sony Google TV devices while showing Boxee running on a Sony NSZ-GT1 Blu-ray player. There's no other details mentioned so far, but if you managed to

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Bad news if you've recently acquired either of ASUS' gorgeous Zenbooks, as alleged spec sheets for their successors have just surfaced. According to documents obtained by The Verge, the upcoming refresh will be significant for both the 11.6-inch UX21 and 13.3-inch UX31. Dubbed the UX21A and UX31A, respectively, both supposedly make do with Ivy Bridge silicon (spanning from Core i3s all the way to i7s) which also means a gratuitous update to Intel's HD Graphics

Community After an all-too-long midseason hiatus, everyone's favorite group of community college misfits returns on Thursday. Community has a significant online following that reacted noisily to its sudden disappearance from NBC's schedule a few months ago, although if so many people are watching it, you gotta wonder why the network seems like it's in such a hurry to press the cancel button. Oh yeah, it's NBC, the people the ruined Heroes. (March 15th, NBC, 8PM) Frozen Planet The latest series from the Discovery/BBC team up that brought you Planet Earth starts airing Sunday night so queue up the DVR and prepare to be wowed by nature. As usual, there is a downside -- the British narration

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A New York man is suing Apple for false advertising, alleging that Siri's real-world performance and capabilities fall short of what is depicted in the commercials for the service, the Wall Street Journal reports. The suit, filed earlier today in California, is led by claimant Frank M. Fazio of Brooklyn, who says that Siri is "far less responsive" in real life and uses as evidence the fact that the program often didn't understand him or "after a long wait time, responded with the wrong answer."

The European Commission has posted details (PDF) of its approval of Google buying Motorola that may have uncovered an attempt to create a mostly one-sided licensing deal. Negotiations in late 2011 to reach a settlement had reportedly seen Motorola demand that Apple provide licensing for its entire non-standard patent collection just to get licenses for Motorola's 3G standards patents. Motorola had been aiming for a cross-licensing deal that would help all Android makers with the knowledge that Google's takeover might be approved.

Naoki Maru's Real King Kizer, the boxing robot to end all boxing robots, has been around for a hot minute, but the latest upgrade is bound to make even Wolverine Hugh Jackman take notice. The Real Steel-like setup was created when an Xtion Pro Live sensor (hint: it's like Kinect) was thrown into the equation. The 3-foot, 2-inch boxer was then allowed to reproduce the motions of Maru's kid, and unlike prior iterations, this one doesn't require a physical harness to transmit commands. E

It might be embarrassing to say, but I am a big fan of Kihon Games' first title Baby Monkey (going backwards on a pig). Yes, it's a silly game based on Parry Gripp's song of the same name, and yes, it's a pretty typical endless runner title. But I like it nevertheless, and so when Kihon offered to show me their second iOS title last week at GDC, I gladly assented. Turns out Baby Monkey was a trial, more or less. Kihon is a fairly new company (they've got seven employees so far) that was looking to dip its toe in iOS development, and Baby Monkey was the first result. Now that the water's been tested, however, they're ready to jump in, and they'll do tha